Hadric
by prophet-of-troy
Summary: Cedric asks Hermione to the Yule Ball, because he knows he can't ask Harry. Does he get him anyway? I call them Hadric...


"Hermione!" She stopped in confusion at the vaguely familiar voice calling her, turning around in the middle of the corridor with her brow creased. Her eyes widened at the sight of Cedric Diggory jogging over to her, his loose yellow and black tie whipping around lightly. All along the corridor people stopped to whisper to each other. His eyes fell on Harry, beside her, who was looking back.

"You go ahead," she told Harry. "I'll catch up.

Harry walked away, looking back with an interesting expression. Once he was gone, Cedric flashed his perfect smile that tended to make women everywhere swoon. "Afternoon," she greeted after he said nothing for a moment.

"What? Oh! Yes, hullo," he responded, uncharacteristically awkward. "I, uh, I've been wanting to talk to you." His face reddened at this. "Did you, uh, did you want to go to the Yule Ball with me?"

This surprised her. She wouldn't call them close, having a comfortable friendship wherein they had studied together a few times and he helped her find books she needed. They spoke in passing, but… the _ball_? Hermione immediately thought of someone else. Someone she would never be able to go with, but how would he react if she went to the ball with a date? They had spoken why _he_ had to take one, but her?

"Um, actually, Cedric. I wasn't planning on going _with_ anyone. I-"

"Just as friends!" He said frantically. "I wouldn't even go or ask, but I _have_ to and I have a dance partner and well- I thought out of all my friends, you would be the most understanding."

"What do you mean?"

He blushed darker. "Well, everyone expects me to go with a _girl_ , and, well- well I'd really sooner ask Harry. If it weren't for the circumstances being what they were, I might have. I'm hoping if I win the tournament I'll be able to come out to my father, and maybe, ask Harry…. anyway…."

Hermione smiled, thinking back to the way her friend looked at the Hufflepuff. "Well. In that case, and _only_ as friends, I would love to go to the ball with you."

He kissed her cheek, soliciting gasps around the hall, and thanked her as he ran off with a relieved grin.

*

When the night of the ball came, Hermione was rather proud of the way she looked. Despite her fear, her secret love had understood that it was only as friends, and reacted only with a comment that he had better keep his hands to himself. She only chuckled at that, not telling him the truth as it wasn't hers. Now, she couldn't wait to see his face when he saw her.

"You look beautiful," Cedric said at the bottom of the stair, kissing her hand.

There were murmurs of agreement, including Harry- who was looking at the man next to her instead. She smirked at the two of them, hoping for the best, and placed her arm in Cedric's for their entrance. She would admit to being very amused at _his_ face when he saw her enter, until she looked at him properly and felt quite jealous of the pug nosed girl he had with him.

She was glad for the dancing classes she took in the Wizarding World, otherwise she wouldn't be able to keep up. Cedric was a wonderful dancer, the two of them gliding across the floor well into the night. When they parted, after she noticed Harry leaving, he thanked her again, and went off. She followed, planning on heading to their meeting place early, when two strong arms pushed her against the wall in an alcove- face leering towards hers.

"Malfoy," she spat.

"Granger, who knew you could look somewhat respectable."

She glared, then her face fell into a smirk as he kissed her, pulling her close into an embrace that she melted into. "I thought we were meeting in Flitwick's classroom," she said when they pulled away.

He grinned. "I couldn't resist."

There was a noise behind them and they both jumped, separating as if on fire, and having to look out around the wall to see what it was. Draco's mouth dropped, eyes bulging and a somewhat triumphant grin settled on Hermione's face, as they found Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter in much the same position.

 **A/N: So, I originally wrote this for an old fanfiction I abandoned where Cedric wasn't actually into Harry, just used it as a reference, and the girl's parents were two men (Sirius and Remus). The OC was actually in a soulmate relationship with Severus Snape, but I took it down because no one liked it and I needed to concentrate on my other stuff. Oh well. Hope you liked it! Dasvidanya, Mia.**


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